Sri Lankan fast bowler Thisara Perera took two wickets as South Africa made slow progress on the second day of the first Test at SuperSport Park here on Friday.

South Africa were 168 for four at lunch, 12 behind Sri Lanka's first innings total of 180. They added only 78 runs during the morning and lost three wickets.

There was a seven-minute delay shortly before lunch when Jacques Kallis ducked into a bouncer from Dilhara Fernando and collapsed next to the pitch, requiring treatment. He carried on batting, however, and was dropped by a diving wicketkeeper Kaushal Silva in Fernando's next over with his score on 27. He was unbeaten on 28 at lunch.

Uneven bounce from a grassy pitch was the biggest challenge for the batsmen. The ball that struck Kallis was pitched short but barely rose above stump height.

Perera struck two important blows for the tourists, having Hashim Amla

(18) and Jacques Rudolph (44) caught in the slips. But he was struck for three fours in an over by Kallis soon afterwards. He had figures of two for 63.

Nightwatchman Dale Steyn was run out by a direct hit from Rangana Herath at square leg in the second over of the day before a run had been added to the overnight 90 for one.